Overall passenger satisfaction at United states airports is at an all-time high, according to a new study.
Customer satisfaction scores reached 749 out of 1,000 points in the J.D. Power 2017 North America Airport Satisfaction Study released Friday — up 18 points from 2016. The study found this improvement to be driven by an increase in satisfaction with security checks (thanks to fewer staffing issues), check-in and baggage checks, and food, drink and shopping opportunities.
The study also found that various creative initiatives to improve the experience for travelers had contributed to the rise in satisfaction levels. Some examples of this included Phoenix Sky Harbor’s team of therapy dogs that passengers can pet while they wait to board and San Francisco International’s pet therapy dogs and pig that roam the terminal.
Tristan is in Terminal 3 waiting for you to stop by and say hi. #sfo #wagbrigade #woof pic.twitter.com/fg5gKQy62P
— San Francisco International Airport (SFO) ✈️ (@flySFO) September 21, 2017
Massive construction projects, which numerous airports are in the thick of (including at Newark Liberty, LaGuardia, Los Angeles International and Chicago O’Hare), remain an obstacle to satisfaction, the study found.
“The trifecta of a steadily improving economy, record passenger volume and billion-dollar renovation projects unfolding in airports across the country has created a challenging environment for customer satisfaction,” J.D. Power’s Michael Taylor said in a statement.